It's common knowledge now that "sitting is the new smoking."
Relieve some of that stress & sickness from the body with these simple movements done right at your desk, no yoga mat required.
Eagle Arms
Take a breath, plant your feet on the floor and sit up straight. As you inhale, raise your arms to your sides.Cross one arm over the other and give yourself a big hug on the shoulders. Your elbows should be stacked.Bend your arms 90 degrees. This will put your hands in front of your face.If you can, connect your palms. If they don’t reach, connect the backs of your hands.Drop those shoulders. Press your palms together and very gently raise your fingertips higher.Hold for five breaths (count them out) and switch sides.
Gentle Neck Stretch
Sit up straight, feet on the floor, and take a breath.Interlace your fingers behind your lower back. As you inhale, extend your arms behind your back.Exhaling, move your knuckles to the left side of your torso. Take them as far to the side as feels comfortable.Squeeze your left elbow in toward your body, and drop your head towards your left shoulder.Neck stays long and your head stays centered (definitely don’t drop it back).Stay there for five breaths (remember to count) and switch sides.
Seated Hip Opener
Sit tall, with both feet on the floor. Now put your right ankle on top of your left knee. Flex your right foot as if you were pressing it firmly against a wall.Before you move any farther, inhale and feel your spine lengthen. As you exhale, fold forward from your hips with a straight back. How far you move is up to you. Look for a stretching sensation—never pain.Hold the pose for five breaths, then sit up straight and switch sides.
Seated Twist
Plant both feet on the floor as you sit up tall and inhale. As you exhale, twist to the right.Take hold of the chair’s armrest or chair back, being sure to keep both hips evenly grounded. It helps to think about moving from your belly with a straight spine; avoid cranking on your shoulders/upper back.Keep your knees even; neither should extend beyond the other.When you’ve twisted as deeply as you can, turn your head to gaze over your right shoulder.Stay in the twist for five more breaths, then come back to center and switch sides.
Best way to ensure you start and keep a healthy new ritual is by starting small. Maybe try these only on Mondays to get your week started right. Once you have Mondays under control for a couple of weeks, try adding in another day. Little by little, your lifestyle will change, along with your health...all for the better.